New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-25
LAZY TAHITI.
AN UNCONVENTIONAL EDEN OF THE sOUra
PACIFIC.

That he enjoys this life Is shown BY his happy face ME
honest eyes not yet Lit with greed and bis ever
ready hospitality. he is tall, we'll made and musoulae
and his features regular. The women have thois
share Of beauty compared with their sisters OF othee
races, OF them being very lovely. Behold an oval
face lit by SOFT dark. liquid under broad low fore
head. the nose slightly aquline, with decately ouS
nostrils. curved sensitive mouth small wtlturncd
chin. and this crowned by wavy OF long, fine hap
reaching below the waist Often Of morDug sec
dozen young girls taking bath In the reef ooune
harDor. Dressed In their red holokus' or Mothee
Hubbards they like deer the turf. leap from
the low sea WALL screaming with excitement their arma
and egS waving and skirts flying and strike the watss
with mighty splash. On they come. attor another
till all fin the water. ducking and spashins oaoA
other; they scramble and the turf
for another run and jump The people generally don't
for salt water bathing, though they good
swimmers and great divers; but they clearly
and do much scrubbng In the little brooks
Both mon and women are very fond Of flowers. the
latter wearing leis" wreaths. their heads And
around their necks and both ears rcd OF
white flower hafhidden in their dark tresses They
very fond Of each other and continually gather
in groups. sitting their launches or on the ground.
laughing chatting singing cigarette passes from
mouth mouth each In turn pulling at IT. and In truth
At Is the only way keep Of the wretched native
lighted Everything they have is shared with heR
friends. single pineapple bottle OF beer passing
around party Of ten or dozen; and friend passing
by always called in to shae dinner. Rightly is this
group OF islands called Society.
The usual feeding hours here BREAKFAST at 10 ana
dinner at s. There only two meals day-the thr4
hardly be called meal as 1t Is merely conee ana
in bed daylight after for they are carly
here The meals particularly good-fascnas-
Ing oysters fresh from the the incest shrimps ever
tasted from three to four inches long and as big arouno
as ones finger Baked sucking pig Is noble institution
of Tahiti. After the little darling IL dressed ana
wrapped in leaves he Is placed In the oven, which 10
simply hole in the ground previously prepared by
heated stones The whole Is covered with earth ana
presently comes out very dream OF Charles Lamb He
is eaten with native made out OF cocoanut ana
sea water-queer but nice.
| The shops open at or o'clock and are entirely
closed from 10 to H. the shutters being put up
Nearly all business is done between and 10.
| The town is kept in very good order. The Commits
sloner OF Police appointed In France and the police
system OF Paris Is carried here Not soul walks
abroad after 10 at night without being reported to the
Governor. who reads the police returns every day
All the youth in the island from the little plants
tons or farms the town OF apeete where they 50
into service with tho European and upper class
Tahans, or finding employment unpleasant or diicun
to obtain they live with their friends. Getting ich"
never their heads, but to enjoy themselves ana
to get rid of any wild nature has thought necessary
to give them are their AIMS Every might the guitars
night away Band night IL Joyous occasion dear to
the memory of all visitors to the island On Thursday
the French garrison band plays before the Gov
eminent House In little plaza carpeted with turf ana
borered with spreading trees. On one side are vendors
beer and liquOrs-miseraDe sutton another women
and flowers, and the centre is the brilliantly
lit band stand As the band strikes mp tho people grow
wild with Joy Around the stand skip men and girls.
sngly in pairs and rows heads up bright teeth
showing clasping each other by waist or shOulder'
laughing and calling to each other. while the dust 'ariy
chokes tie putting. blowing musicians. III dancer raiS
in the mad whir a OF excitement rises and only
dies away when the PROSTATE rises and dances on
Between the selections they refresh themselves with
beer or fruit while the officers young men OF the town
buy flowers and wreaths for the girls happy with
their lels" as a debutante with her bouquets tan
| Young globe trotter advances to group OF dusky
beauties holding high the finest lei he can purchase
There is scream OF delight from dozen pretty mouths
q dozen rounded arms thrust at the prize as tho
garlandsi heads bob up AMI down, and then theresa
rush IA overwhelmed They cl NIB upon his heae
and shoulders and pluck the wreath to pieces leaving
him dlshevecd and overcome by such wniriWlha OK
arms and legs
Then tho band strikes up and away they all go again
AT last bandsmen form in the street the torchishs
tradesmen disappear with the remnant OF their wares
and the crowd gather line before and behind the band
The being darker than the plaza even those whose
dignity and responsibility kept them from joining tho
dancers around the stand found in the ranks
Officers foreign men Of war. yacGtSmen, towns
people. globe troters away they all n. nynphs and
satyrs In Wild Bacchanalan dance down the dimly ie
street under the meeting IN an arch overhead now
TO the right back the street. each line nj s
own sweet will. Dignity falls to the ground when =
smile AMI glance from a fowerdccked maiden comes
bearing an invitation TO clasp hands or waists ana
follow the band" The Pied Piper OF IIamcn could
lead away these people any time.
The band halts AMI we get ahead oft,
tba tsryr IN il.
lady with a wreath of yellow flowers on her black
tesses another around her neck don't believe she cau
sneak word OF English and don't try to make her 10 so
there Is no need Beyon her there is man AMI thea
another girl-there twelve IN the line The band
strikes up behind and everybody begins dancing We
can take any steps like are oil the ground most
of the time; and down the street We 60 Suddenly my
arm Is grasped by strong hand which slips through;
and have my left big Kanaka dressed IN WAIST
cloth and with head thrown back and laughing Tor
pure 10y Away go running and dancing against tho
people ahead Of u.s. breaking into the lines rst one AMI
then another until bring against row or hSts
caI IN dark blue. party OF sailors. We try to break
TINS In too the stawart fellows stop altogether AID
back up the whole procession digging their heels into
the ground and bracDg themselves against mo HAcx-
ing lines There wild uproar and suddenly they dars
forward with all the In pursuit, only To repeat tho
nerformauoe later Mean while the right wing OF our
line pulls out the Side and OF we dance up the side OK
the street TO yet the ban which has been lett TAR
I'm the rear. We come into line with swing ana play
crack the whip" with my kanaka friend and bang him
her, and there into the ntlst OF dancing rows
no one thinks getting and you can do "a you
please so down go through the lines ahead OF us TIL
we strike again that stout row OF sailors having ther
watch ashore to night out again 10 the side dance
back to tho band-aad repeat street lGht mas suown
me that my young lady the right has pretty RAGS
and Is enioying herself hugely She stlnis the crack
ING the whip tho brcakin lines with perfect ease
Al last tbs band turns into the market place ana ceases
niavlng. tho Wild fascinating dance Is over We mop.
pant and walk aw ay to a friendly home where We drlnx
Ten md eat aud jam with our host anu hostess TN
long past midnight
Many lazy evening is spent on mats and pillows on
the yerandah tho glorious moon looking down on our
chat She shines over the harbor and shipping lights
M the white beach roal and peers through tho tan
cocoanut palm near TIL 1t stands like silhouette
against tue sky From the beach comes tse steay roas